By Peter John
Three suspects charged in a multi-count fraud case involving the African Airlines Association have pleaded not guilty to all charges before the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi.
According to the charge sheet, the accused persons face several counts including conspiracy to commit a felony, stealing by servant, stealing, and forgery, arising from alleged financial dealings at the African Airlines Association offices in South C, Nairobi.
The prosecution alleges that the offences were committed between January 2022 and November 2023, during which millions of shillings were allegedly fraudulently obtained from the association.
The charges include claims that large sums of money were stolen while the accused were serving in different capacities, and that false documents were allegedly prepared and used to facilitate the offences.
During plea taking, all three accused denied the charges. The court noted that the third accused person was arrested later than the first and second accused.
As a result, the court granted the third accused a cash bail of Sh300,000 with one contact person, or an alternative bond of Sh1 million with a surety of a similar amount.
For the first and second accused persons, the court maintained earlier bond terms, setting their cash bail at Sh600,000 each with one contact person, or an alternative bond of Sh1 million with a surety of a similar amount.
The court directed that the matter be mentioned on February 11, 2025, for pre-trial directions, during which the prosecution and defence are expected to confirm compliance with disclosure requirements ahead of the hearing.
The case adds to a growing list of high-profile financial crime matters currently before the courts, as authorities continue to pursue accountability in cases involving alleged misuse of organizational funds.
